Runners come out to support marathon bombing victims

It was Boston Strong in the Silver City on Sunday.

Runners and walkers gritted it out under the hot sun for The Run for Jess and Patrick 5K held at the Myles Standish Industrial Park. The event, also known as the 5K Family Fun, was held to raise relief funds, and to show solidarity and support for Boston Marathon victims Patrick and Jessica Downes, a newlywed couple from Cambridge.

Runners and walkers gritted it out under the hot sun for The Run for Jess and Patrick 5K held at the Myles Standish Industrial Park. The event, also known as the 5K Family Fun, was held to raise relief funds, and to show solidarity and support for Boston Marathon victims Patrick and Jessica Downes, a newlywed couple from Cambridge.

“It’s just an overwhelming show of support by a community of people that we don’t even really know first-hand,” said Brian Downes, Patrick’s father, who came from Cambridge along with family and friends to cheer on participants at the finish line of the 5-kilometer run. “The whole notion of so many people coming together to give Patrick and Jess strength and hope for their future is just overwhelming to me. We send our appreciation to everyone.”

The event was organized by Patrick’s cousin, Kelly Moreno, of Taunton. Moreno attended the Boston Marathon as well, and happened to be near Jessica and Patrick at the time of the blasts, barely escaping the destruction on April 15.

“I’m outrageously gracious for everyone who came out in this heat,” said Moreno, as she was busy helping coordinate the event. “Everyone is dripping with sweat. We’ve had more than 100 runners come through, and we’ve had our first group of kids come through just now. I got a little emotional as the kids started coming in. We’ve had amazing outreach of support from friends, families and total strangers.”

Moreno said that the 5K fundraiser in Taunton was a way to take the anger from the Boston Marathon bombing and channel it into something positive.

Patrick Downes’ mother, Debbie, said she was touched by the enthusiastic participants who took the time to do the Run for Jess and Patrick 5K.

“I am so struck by the kindness and spirit of hope here today,” said Debbie Downes, speaking at the finish line.

Debbie Downes said that her son and daughter-in-law remain at Spauling Rehabilitation Hospital, where they have been for 10 days.

Brian and Debbie Downes said they were going to visit them after the race, to show them photos and give them the news from The Run for Jess and Patrick 5K. Debbie Downes said she thinks the images of so many people offering support will help the couple in their recovery.

“I think it’ll help Pat and Jess heal to see how many people participated,” the mother said.

Brian Downes said that he is following the lead of Patrick and Jess, by not dwelling on the act of violence that was the bombing, but rather the compassionate response that followed.

Kyla Valcovic, who attended the Boston Marathon with family, including children Jack, 8, and Lilly, 10, ran the 5K in Taunton with her kids on Sunday.

Page 2 of 2 - “We were there at the bombing,” said Valcovic, of Taunton. “We came out healthy so this is our way to give back.”

Darryl Wright, of Berkley, said he was glad to help out.

“It’s a great run to raise money to help those people,” Wright said. “I’m proud and happy to do it. Boston Strong.”

Aden Said, of Taunton, said running the 5K was the least he could do in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing.

“This is about family and friends coming together,” Said said. “We always stick together. We don’t what anything bad happening to anybody that we know. This is the least we could do.”